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my AVG virus protection says Firefox is using too much memory. How do I fix this

  • 4 replies
  • 147 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by mggfran

mggfran
mggfran
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I get a pop up message from time to time saying Firefox is using too much memory (over 900 mbs) and to close and restart. I don't know what to do. My hardware is checked, I've run software mechanics, emptied cache and cookies. Nothing helps. Also on gmail and chat when I type it takes a long time to show on the screen. I can type a whole sentence before it shows. This usually happens after the computer has been on for a while. Also, it appears that my email keeps loading over and over slowing down everything.

I get a pop up message from time to time saying Firefox is using too much memory (over 900 mbs) and to close and restart. I don't know what to do. My hardware is checked, I've run software mechanics, emptied cache and cookies. Nothing helps. Also on gmail and chat when I type it takes a long time to show on the screen. I can type a whole sentence before it shows. This usually happens after the computer has been on for a while. Also, it appears that my email keeps loading over and over slowing down everything.

Modified by mggfran

All Replies (4)

John99
John99
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Webmail may work firefox harder than most people realise. Have a look at

  • high memory usage
    • note if you go to about:memory in your location bar you will get a report that might help you determining what is using the memory, and includes buttons that may help the situation.
mggfran
mggfran Question owner
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I know I'm really dumb about this stuff but I can't find the location bar for firefox. I have igoogle as my home page and I don't know how to access the bar. I've tried a bunch of things but they don't work. Thanks for trying though.

John99
John99
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Sorry I could have explained it better.

The blue text by the way are clickable links -> high memory usage

The location bar is the bar in which you type web addresses. Instead of a web address type in about:memory and hit Return or click at the end to go to that address, in this case it give information from your system.

See getting started with firefox_finding-everything-with-the-awesome-bar

I am not too sure the about memory information will be too helpful to you, but it does go some way to showing what is eating up the memory, and it does have a button on it that tries to reduce some of that.

900 Mb does seem on the high side, depending on exactly what you are doing. The linked article does contain some tips that may help.

You may need to use

  • Firefox Button -> Options -> Navigation Bar

if you do not normally display the Navigation bar which contains the location bar. (If for instance you normally just rely on bookmarks and some custom search toolbar &/or iGoogle)

mggfran
mggfran Question owner
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Thanks, I'll give it a try but not now. I'm too busy and if something goes wrong I'll be stuck at the computer forever.